Lining for dental plates and process of preparing the same



Patented June 52,1926.

UNITED STATES ERNEST K. PETERS, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

LINING FOR DENTAL PLATES AND PROCESS OF PRE2ARING THE SAME.

No Drawing.

My invention relates to an improved method of lining dental plates with gold or similar metals.

I-Ieretofore, in the art of dentistry, lining plates with gold has been accomplished by first securing to the vulcanite side of a thin sheet of gold a sheet of wire mesh. or screen, by means of solder, the wire screen being attached to the sheet of gold at a number of spaced point-s only. The gold lining thus prepared was then s-waged and burnished over the usual previously prepared form or model; then fiasked and vulcanized in the usual manner, the wire mesh becoming embedded in the vulcanite during the vulcanizing 'irocess and securely connecting the gold lining and plate together.

It has been found in using the method above described that at the points where the mesh was solderedto the lining the solder formed hard spots or high spots in the finished model which made the gold lining of unequal stiffness, consequently difficult to swage, with the result that the blows required to drive it to the model often impaired the model, with ill results in adaptation to the mouth. It often happened also that the blows required in swaging forced the solder spots through or partly through the lining, or distorted the same sufficiently to render the same unfit for use.

My invention contemplates the production of a lining material, preferably of gold, having one side thereof treated to produce a spongy or porous surface, the interstices of which will absorb or become filled with the vulcanite during vulcanization, or other plastics used to make plates, and upon completion thereof will form a permanent attachment between the lining and plate.

A further object is to provide a lining material of the above character which may easily and quickly be prepared for use without in any way impairing the flexibility 0'! other qualities thereof.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter and, while I will describe the preferred form of my invention, I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to such preferred form, but that various changes and adaptations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In practicing my invention I first burnish and swage the lining to the previously prepared model. I then apply one thin coat Application filed June 16,

1924. Serial No. 720,473.

of an amalgam composed of substantially fifty parts pure gold and fifty parts redistilled mercury to theupper surface or vulcanite side of the lining. This amalgam is permitted to penetrate the molecules of the lining sufficiently to form a union between it and the lining. The lining is then removed from the model and exposed to heat sufliciently intense to cause practically instantaneous boiling and evaporation of the mercury. Due to the fact that the boiling point of mercury is considerably lower than the melting point of gold the mercury vapor, in seeking an outlet from the gold of the amalgam, distorts the same and forms a porous or spongy coating upon the lining. The lining is then placed on the model and the case flasked. The same is then prepared for vulcanizing in the usual manner. As the flask is closed under boiling and also under the higher temperature of the steam vulcanizer the rubber enters the interstices in the spongy or porous surface and upon cooling forms a permanent attachment between the lining and'plate.

I have found in practice that linings applied according to my invention are more easily applied, are more permanent and lasting, and form a perfect union with the plate. I have also found that sheet gold may be prepared according to my invention before being swaged and burnished to .a model and that by coating the prepared side with a filler of wax, or the like, of suitable density, the lining may be swaged to a model without in any way impairing the efficiency of the prepared side, the wax being melted and withdrawn after swaging has been done.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The method of producing a metallic lining for dental plates which consists in coating one side thereof with an amalgam having a relatively high mercury content, then subjecting the same to heat sufficient to cause rapid volatilization of the mercury and produce a spongy surface.

2. The method of producing a metallic lining for plastic material which consists of coating one side thereof with an amalgam having a relatively high mercury content and then causing rapid volatilization ofthe mercury.

3. The method of producing a metallic lining for dental plates which consists in coating one side thereof with an amalgam having a relatively high mercury content, then subjecting the same to heat sufiicient to cause rapid volatilization of the mercury.

4. The method of producinga metallic lining'for plastic material which consists of coating one side thereof with an amalgam composed of mercury and powdered lining material, and then subjecting the same to heat sutiicient to boil out the mercury whereby a spongy coating is formed upon said coated surface.

5. The method of producing gold lining for plastic material which consists of coatin one side of the plastic material With an amalgam composed of mercury and powdered gold, and then exposing the same to a heat suflicient to cause substantially instant volatilization of the n'iercury.

In Witness that I claim the foregoingl have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of June 1924.

ERNEST K. PETERS. 

